What Does Brandy Mean?

The name 'Brandy' is derived from a Dutch word, 'Brandewij' or burnt wine. Brandy is distilled wine with a greater content of alcohol and is usually made from grape wine, but it can be any other fruit that has sugar.

Any fruit juice or liquid containing sugar, if fermented, contains a small quantity of alcohol. Since alcohol has a lower boiling point, when wine is heated, the alcohol evaporates first and at a lower temperature and this is then condensed. Water, which evaporates at 100 degrees centigrade compared to alcohol, is left behind. Small amounts of organic and aromatic chemicals also evaporate along with the spirit and this gives brandy its aroma and taste. This distilled wine is usually 40–60% ethyl alcohol by volume

As long ago as 800 BC distilled spirits were produced in India